Transcript Request Reminder

Seniors, as you are working on your college applications there are forms you will need to have submitted by the counselors. We need to remind you that you need to submit the forms to us as soon as possible, but at least 1 week ahead of the deadline.

There are 2 pieces you will need to submit if you are applying via Common App.

1. The Common Application Counselor Form. This is in the Recommenders and FERPA section of the application. You will fill out the form and invite your counselor. Be sure to spell your counselor's name and email address accurately.
2. The Transcript Request Form. This is found on the Counselor Website. When you go to www.wkhscounselors.com go down near the bottom to the "Find it Fast" area and select the transcript request option. You will need to fill out the transcript request form for each of the colleges where you are going to apply so that we have the authorization to send your transcript to each of the colleges where you are applying.

If you have questions or need help finding the forms, please come see us and we will help you with it.

We want to emphasize the importance of making sure that you request those forms a week in advance. This is always important to make sure that we get all of the forms processed in a timely manner, but it is even more important this year because November 1st falls on a weekend. So we need to have time so that we can make sure that we have processed everything before your application deadlines

AP Exam Registration

By now, all students enrolled in an AP class should have “joined” the AP course online to be able to access resources from the CollegeBoard throughout the year. You will need your CollegeBoard account information to login and join the AP classes you are taking. (If you have taken the PSAT, SAT, or AP Exams in the past then you already have a CollegeBoard Account.)

If you have a CollegeBoard account, it is important to use that account (and not to create a new one) as your scores from previous CollegeBoard assessments (PSAT, SAT, AP exams) are linked to your account. If you already have established a CollegeBoard account, please visit myap.collegeboard.org and make certain that you can log in. If you have forgotten your password, you may call 1-888-225-5427 or email apstudents@info.collegeboard.org for assistance.

If you have not already established a CollegeBoard student account, please sign up by going to myap.collegeboard.org. Make sure you write down and save your log-in information for future reference. Remember, when you are setting up your CollegeBoard account, you do NOT want to use your school email account as your wscloud account.

If you have questions, about establishing your account or linking it to the AP resources, please contact College Board at 1-888-225-5427 or email apstudents@info.collegeboard.org.

In addition to joining the class through CollegeBoard, students who are planning to take the AP test will need to sign up and pay for the test through the MyPaymentsPlus system. The cost of the test is $100 if students register prior to October 30th. After October 30th there is a $40 late fee up through February 22nd. There are no options for ordering tests after the February 22nd late registration deadline. Please also note that for students who qualify for free/ reduced lunch, you still need to register through the MyPaymentsPlus system, but it will automatically show your fee as $0 instead of $100.

AP Exams will take place at WKHS from May 3-14, 2027.

Please don't miss the chance to register as a way to help earn free college credit!

College Data

When students are searching for a college, digging into data isn't always high on the list of things to do. It is much more fun to explore the campus and meet with a professor and decide that this is "THE" school for you. And yet the data has a valuable story to share as well.

What do I mean?

Think about Retention Data. Information regarding retention rates means how many students who start at the college on the first day of their freshman year come back the following year. This is important to know because it gives you an idea of how happy and successful students are on the campus. Students that get accepted and go only to find that they are completely over their heads at the school might not have built the study and organization skills needed to be successful and so they might not return for the next year. Or students may attend thinking every day would be fun and forget that there is a lot of work involved with college too and so they might elect not to return to school because they didn't enjoy it as much as they had hoped. Sometimes it is because the college is not a good fit for them after all. And so if you notice that a college has a low retention rate it doesn't mean you won't like the school, but it may be a reason to pause and really look in depth to make sure you are going to be happy and successful at the college.

Another critical piece of data is how long it will take you to graduate. Most of the WKHS graduating students anticipate that they will be in college for 4 years. And that would be great. But that doesn't always work out for students in the long run. This can be due to a range of factors including how easy or difficult it is to get the necessary classes for graduation.

The https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ website provides user friendly tools to search for colleges and explore their data.

Cap & Gown Orders

Seniors, don't forget, the deadline to order your cap and gown at the discounted rate is October 31st.

You will go to Buckeye Scholastic's website in order to place your order.

Buckeye Scholastic has a ton of options that students can select of various specialty items such as announcements and frames. We have had many students ask what is REQUIRED to be ordered - that would be the Cap, Gown, Tassel and Stole package. (No keepsake tassel required.) So the total cost for that package is $42.95.

If you have a cap and gown that a sibling wore in the last few years that is the right size for you to wear, that is totally fine! All you need to do is order the package that is the graduation tassel and stole.

It's so wild that it's time to be taking care of all of these official graduation related tasks!

Keep Up...

One of my students told me that in her family they go with the concept of "It's better to keep up than catch up." And ever since hearing that it has stuck with me. It's a catchy phrase and totally true. When we end up in a hole and have to spend time digging out of a hole, it is really challenging to catch up and we feel as if we are perpetually behind. For me, this weekend served as a reset and I hope it did for you too.

As you head into the 2nd quarter, my hope is that you will try to keep up. And, to be totally honest, I hope that I am able to keep up too. But if you find that you are struggling to keep up, I hope this Missing Assignment Recovery Plan article will be helpful to you.

End of First Quarter

Do you feel like this school year is going unbelievably fast? Today marked the end of the first quarter. This is an important point for you to pause and reflect. Remember, quarter grades are not included on your transcript - just semester grades. This means that you have reached the half-way point in earning the grades that will be on your transcript.

Some of the questions you should ask yourself include: Are you where you want to be? If you are not, what do you need to do different to turn things around? If you need ideas for how you can improve your grades, I strongly encourage you to meet individually with your teacher. You should also take advantage of the help available from the academic assistants in the Teaching and Learning Center (which is located in room 205). You are also welcome to stop by and talk to your school counselor and we can try to brainstorm some ideas to help.

If you are happy with your current progress, congratulations! Make sure you think about what you have done that has been helpful to your success and continue to put forward those same actions.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Free Flu Vaccines

I hate getting sick. I don't like missing out on time at school or doing activities that I enjoy. Plus, being ill and not feeling good is certainly no fun! One of the best ways to try to prevent getting sick is to get your annual flu vaccine.

The Columbus Public Health Department will be at Kilbourne providing free flu vaccines to all interested students and staff. This will take place on Friday, October 23rd from 8:30am-12:00pm.

In order to take advantage of this free opportunity, students must have your parent's consent. Students can pick up consent forms in the WKHS Health Office or families can utilize the online registration:Flu Vaccine Clinic Registration